


the distant road

by oceandawn



Series: callum highway week 2021 [1]
Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-19
Updated: 2021-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-28 15:49:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30141906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oceandawn/pseuds/oceandawn
Summary: callum graduated from university four years ago and now works with whitney in her custom car garage. he still thinks about ben, though.always does.// callum highway week — day 1
Relationships: Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell
Series: callum highway week 2021 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2218458
Comments: 6
Kudos: 58





	the distant road

**Author's Note:**

> day 1 prompt — "I still think about him."

He's okay with working here. The company is nice, Whitney is his best mate, and the hours aren't too boring where he feels like time has stopped altogether.

There's occasional clicks and whirls from the mechanics next door, but Callum has a cozy office towards the back that's become his own space.

A sofa, his desk, a swirly chair (because they're fun while he's thinking to spin around) and a board on the back wall that has multiple memories pinned up one side.

It's just time for lunch, and Callum's about to put his work down and head out to buy some food when there's two soft knocks on his door, followed by Whitney's head peeking through the gap he leaves open.

"Hey, Cal," she gives a little wave as she makes it all the way through, "you alright?"

"Yeah," Callum gives her a smile, noticing a hot beverage in either of her hands. "That for me?"

"Always, my star manager," Whitney laughs as she places it down near his mouse and keyboard. Callum leans back as he picks it up, holding it near his lips.

"Leave off, Whit," he says. "You run this place, not me. I just do all the numbers."

"Without you, I wouldn't be able to focus on half of these cars and making them unique," Whitney sits on the edge of his desk, feet crossed over as they swing. Her dress is long, printed with flowers, perfect for the summer.

"You know, when we met in our first year I didn't expect you to be working on car design," Callum takes a drink, sighing at the sweet flavour of the chocolate. They have a favourite cafe and Whitney always stops there to order something.

"There were lots of surprises during those years," she perks her eyebrows towards him. "I mean, we dated for a bit. You came out during the second year."

Callum laughs. He looks back on it fondly now, not with the pain and agony he once had. Whitney has supported him before that moment and ever since, they're best friends for life.

"Yeah, that was, uh— a long time coming," Callum smiles at Whitney, and she shares the same fond expression. "I'm glad the whole _us_ thing hasn't gone away."

"Me too," replies Whitney. "Handsome fella like you always brings a smile to every guy that walks in."

"Oh, so that's why you hired me?" Callum knows she's teasing, but the lack of self worth still lingers like a bad smell. Heartbreak does that.

"You know that's not it," she nudges his knee with her foot, making Callum spin in the chair before he stops it.

Callum takes a drink, wanting to finish it before heading out to eat. An engine roars in the garage outside his office.

"It's four years today, ain't it?" Whitney is staring ahead as Callum looks up to her, pushing his foot on the floor to spin his chair slowly to the back wall.

"What, graduating?" replies Callum.

"Yeah," Whitney hops down from the desk, coffee cupped in both hands as she walks over to the board.

Polaroids of the past are pinned in a space in the corner. Callum's always been a bit sentimental, especially memories.

"God, it feels like years, doesn't it?" Whitney presses two fingers to one of them, Callum and Whitney smiling at each other in the photo as they clink their beer glasses, the environment blurred in the back. 

"It does, yeah."

That's a lie.

Every day he thinks about _him,_ the reminder he can't seem to take down from the group of polaroids because he looks so happy, they all do.

"Oh," Whitney moves her focus to the one Callum can't stop looking at, the one with Callum and a guy kissing his cheek in the middle of the bar, red lights around them. "I remember him."

Callum breathes in.

Whitney notices his silence, looking back with an expression that can only mourn Callum's sadness. She was there when it happened.

Turning back, she laughs at another one, picking it from the board and walking back to the desk, sitting on it again as Callum looks over to see which one it is.

It's Callum, Whitney, the guy again and Callum's old mate, Jay. He finds himself smiling fondly as he thinks over the memory.

Callum's sitting with the guys' arms around his shoulders, leaning over the back of the chair as Callum sits there, smiling at the camera.

The guy?

He's looking down at Callum, eyes so fond anyone would think he's in love.

That thought punches the words out of him.

"I still think about him."

Whitney looks down to Callum, smiling as she places a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Ben?"

_God. His name._

Callum misses saying it, seeing him turn around and going _what's up twinkle toes?_ because that was their thing. It makes him smile more warmly just thinking about it, but his voice has faded with time.

"Yeah," Callum swallows around the heartache. "I regret not asking him."

"He would've said yes, you know," Whitney passes over the polaroid, Callum ever so gentle as he takes it with his free hand. "He was… ha! Well, you were all he ever talked about during that last year."

"I loved him."

"I think you still do," Whitney picks up her drink, smiling as Callum tips his head back.

"I think you're right," Callum replies, moving his thumb over Ben's face. First, real loves absolutely _suck._ "Maybe we should go out tonight."

"I don't think that's a good idea—"

A loud crash sounds in the garage, voices and laughter.

Whitney clicks her tongue, squeezing Callum's shoulder again as she stands up, leaving his desk to see what the commotion is all about.

Callum is left looking at the polaroid, remembering that night, the night Ben stayed and kissed him for the first time.

He then remembers what Ben said, the way it all ended after barely beginning.

_We're too late._

_I'm sorry._

_I'm too good for you, and I don't know where I'm going after this._

_I don't want you to halt your dreams for me._

_Think I'll always have a soft spot for you, Cal._

Callum brushes a hand across his face, grumbling as he sighs. Standing up, he pins the polaroid back on the board.

"You didn't even know what my dreams were, Ben," Callum moves his thumb over him again. "All I wanted was to be with you. It took me three years to admit it, and by then…"

_It was too late._

Callum turns away before he stands there looking for hours and living through the past.

He steps back, grabbing his coat and cap, placing it on as he leaves his office.

Whitney's standing near the door to the wide, large garage. Multiple cars are sitting around with hoods open, some elevated on mechanical platforms to work underneath.

There's a group gathered at the front, and Callum walks over to see what's going on as voices travel towards him the closer he steps.

"...broke down during the last turn, and I got a client I'm meeting in an hour and this is the only garage I could find on the way—"

Callum's heart goes into overdrive, pushes forward.

"Ben?"

Callum doesn't realise he's said anything until the whole group of people turn to him. Whitney is the only one that doesn't react because Ben hasn't recognised her or has chosen not to say anything.

"... Cal?"

_Cal._

Cold slithers down the front of Callum's chest at his voice, the blue eyes that fall over him, as if remembering Callum all over again.

"I — what are you doing here?" Maybe he should be asking how he is, what Ben's been doing but the shock is too much.

Callum thought he'd never see him again.

"My, uh—," Ben points over his shoulder to the classic car behind him, "My car broke down a bit ago, managed to roll it on its last legs here. I know it says appointments only but—"

"We can do it," Whitney speaks up, smiling when Ben looks her way. "Old friends, right?"

Ben smiles after a moment, realising it's Whitney. You can't blame the guy when his eyes have always been on Callum from the time they first met.

"The lads have got it. You can wait in Cal's office."

"Office?" Ben's eyes go wide.

"Yeah," Whitney tells the gathered crew to take Ben's cars into the main garage to fix it up. "Got some catching up to do, don't you?"

Ben feels as if he's being told off, but the look on Callum's face when he turns back to him is enough to ignite the feelings he felt all those years ago.

Well, they never went away.

"I think we do, don't we, twinkle toes?"


End file.
